Reds prospect faces pivotal spring training after top evaluator questions work ethic

Cam Collier was one of several Cincinnati Reds prospects to receive a non-roster invite to spring training. Collier will join fellow 2022 draftee Sal Stewart along with Chase Petty, Edwin Arroyo and Chase Burns in Goodyear when spring training begins next month.

Collier was the Reds' first-round pick in the 2022 MLB Draft after the teenage prodigy inexplicably fell to Cincinnati at No. 17. Many scouts assumed Collier would be selected in the top five, and there were some would suggested he'd be the No. 1 overall pick.

Collier endured a difficult first season in the minor leagues, but he was only 18 years old during his first full season of pro ball back in 2023. Last season, Collier showed flashes of his potential and won MVP honors at the MLB Futures Game. The future looks bright for Collier, but at least prominent talent evaluator had some harsh criticism for the former first-rounder.

Top evaluator has harsh criticism for Reds prospect Cam Collier

The Athletic's Keith Law (subscription required) released his top-100 prospects heading into the 2025 season. Collier still made the cut, but dropped 33 spots from No. 50 to No. 83 in Law's latest rankings. While the former ESPN evaluator offered plenty of praise for Collier's swing decisions, Law was quick to point out that Collier "has let his body get away from him".

To put it mildly, Law is inferring that Collier's put on a few pounds too many, venturing to guess that the 19-year-old's listed weight of 210 pounds is not accurate. Law explained that Collier's increased mass could limit his defensive ability and push the young slugger into a first base-only role moving forward.

If Collier truly has become undisciplined in terms of his conditioning, that could become a long-term problem. Playing third base requires far more athletic ability than first base, and obviously Cincinnati would love to keep their options open when the time comes for Collier to make his major league debut.

Spring training is just a few short weeks away, and as a non-roster invitee, Collier will be around some of the best players in the game while observing their daily routine of exercise, eating habits, and other off-the-field disciplines that help them stay in peak physical shape.

Collier's still very young and easily two-plus years away from making it to the big leagues, but the habits he forms while climbing the minor-league ladder will help him along the way. Being part of big league camp this spring could bring invalulable lessons to one of the Reds bright young stars.

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